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Debate rages over England hooker's tackle technique after viral video
By Sam Smith
England's hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie's tackle technique has been put under the spotlight after a fan compilation video of his continual grass-cutter tackles has gone viral.
Cowan-Dickie is seen chopping players low at all levels, from club fixtures to international with England and the British & Irish Lions. The hooker dives at an opposing players legs which sees both players fall at awkward angles.
Rarely does Cowan-Dickie secure a wrap around the player's legs, instead barrelling through them like a missile which could cause a serious knee injury while putting himself at risk of head injury.
The legality of Cowan-Dickie's technique was hotly debated by fans, with the contentious issue around the 'attempt to grasp' which many felt was either late or non-existent by the Exeter Chief.
Without an appropriate attempt to grasp, the tackles should be penalised under dangerous play many argued. Another stated it was 'extraordinary' that coaches and referees 'have not put him straight'.
But it is illegal - first five tackles in your clip anyway. Throwing yourself at ball carrier’s knees/shins with no “attempt to grasp” is dangerous play (Law 9.11) and contravenes Law 9.16.
Very rarely penalised, but it should be. Lavanini got done for it a few years ago.— Mike Stroud (@StroudMarketing) February 21, 2022
There is deliberately a degree of subjectivity to dangerous tackle assessments. Just because you throw your arms around the knee area doesn’t mean it isn’t dangerous to target the knee. IMHO this is dangerous and I’m surprised referees don’t penalise it.— Aaron Lloyd (@AaronLloydNZL) February 21, 2022
He has been doing it a long time. Extraordinary that coaches and/or referees have not put him straight. Someone needs to. Has already knocked himself senseless just before Lions tour but still no change. Beggars belief— Benjamin Hughes (@BenjaminMHughes) February 21, 2022
He doesn't wrap at the pint of tackle at all he mainly dives his shoulder and neck into the shin/knee and if he mistime he is going to be out cold, if they plant their leg he is going to snap it.— Ed Crick (@edcrick) February 21, 2022
Just as many were prepared to defend the chop tackles as legal, asking 'is there "too low" a tackle?' while one fan said this is 'literally what players are told to do'.
It’s legal though has been around for years— afc berry (@JacobPetherton) February 21, 2022
Legit question here: why is it illegal? He almost always wraps, and if he tackles exactly the same but on the waist, i’m sure no one will care. Is there a “too low” tackle?— HJK (@HJK87SA) February 21, 2022
That’s a great chop tackle. Literally what players are told to do. If you don’t like players tackling low away and watch rugby league or some touch rugby ridiculous statement.— Corey Davey (@CoreyDavey15) February 21, 2022
Others compared the tackle technique to former Welsh forward Dan Lydiate, who 'made a living out of these'. The Ospreys forward was famed for his chop tackle technique and was sinbinned on occasion for a questionable wrap.
Kind of similar to Lydiate in his prime from 2012 with his chop tackle technique. But I feel Lydiate had more control with his technique when wrapping his arms around the opponents legs. Luke doesn't seem to do the wrap.— Welsh Ferrari (@ForzaFe57324743) February 21, 2022
The tackle technique has already backfired once for Cowan-Dickie who was forced from the Premiership final against Harlequins on a stretcher with concussion after attempting it on No. 8 Alex Dombrandt.
There were fears that he would miss the British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa after the heavy knock.
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oh ok, seems strange you didn't put the limit at 7 given you said you thought 8 was too many!
Why did you say "I've told you twice already how I did it but your refuse to listen" when you had clearly not told me that you'd placed a limit of 8 teams per league?
"Agreed with 4 pool of 4 and home and away games?"
I understand the appeal of pools of 4, but 6 pool games might not go down well with the French or the South Africans given already cramped schedules. I do still think that you're right that that would be the best system, but there is going to be a real danger of French and SA sides sending b-teams which could really devalue the competition unless there is a way to incentivise performance, e.g. by allowing teams that do well one year to directly qualify for the next year's competition.
Go to commentsFoster should never have been appointed, and I never liked him as a coach, but the hysteria over his coaching and Sam Cane as a player was grounded in prejudice rather than fact.
The New Zealand Rugby public were blinded by their dislike of Foster to the point of idiocy.
Anything the All Blacks did that was good was attributed to Ryan and Schmidt and Fozzie had nothing to do with it.
Any losses were solely blamed on Foster and Cane.
Foster did develop new talent and kept all the main trophies except the World Cup.
His successor kept the core of his team as well as picking Cane despite him leaving for overseas because he saw the irreplaceable value in him.
Razor will take the ABs to the next level, I have full confidence in that.
He should have been appointed in 2020.
But he wasn’t. And the guy who was has never been treated fairly.
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